Singapore Grab driver goes viral for his wisdom and in-car goodies

Straits Times

2 days ago

Mr Pang Tze Wei's Grab car comes with snacks, bottled water, charging cables and even potted plants. PHOTO: ANN HANSEN/FACEBOOK
SINGAPORE - When Ms Ann Hansen stepped into her Grab ride just after noon on May 26, she expected a typical journey home. Instead, the American expatriate was greeted by a car interior transformed into a mini haven - complete with snacks, bottled water, charging cables, and even potted plants.
'I was really hungry and going home for lunch,' Ms Hansen, a communications trainer in her mid-40s and mother of two, told The Straits Times.
'I thought I could find something that could hold me over because he had many treats.'
Neatly arranged shelves behind the front seats were filled with snacks - one side for adults, the other for children. She picked a semi-dried fruit from the adult section and a strawberry chewy candy from the kids' side.
Her 15-minute ride, following a half-day training session at work, quickly became one she wouldn't forget - thanks to her driver, Mr Pang Tze Wei .
'I said, 'Whoa, you must be a really famous Grab driver!' And his response straight away was, 'No no no, not famous, not famous, always humble.' That immediately struck me,' she recalled.
During the journey, Mr Pang, 75, shared nuggets of wisdom rooted in simplicity and humility.
'Downgrade your house, downgrade your career, downgrade your lifestyle,' he said. 'Stay humble. Always number two. Then you stay safe. Everyone goes after number one.'
'It was a breath of fresh air,' said Ms Hansen. 'He was dishing out these pearls of wisdom the entire ride. It felt like he was sent into my life at that moment for a reason.'
Moved by the experience, she shared it on Facebook and LinkedIn. The response was overwhelming - her posts garnered over 4,000 interactions, with her Facebook post shared more than 240 times.
Others who had encountered Mr Pang also chimed in on the comment section of those posts. 'Took his ride last week,' wrote Ms Jessie Tan. 'A happy-go-lucky driver… had a wonderful and safe journey.'
Facebook user TP Tay commented: 'The best is he sets his own KPIs and pace of work… he lives what he is doing - driving!'
Mr Pang told ST that he left his telecommunications job nearly a decade ago to drive full-time.
His value-added service stems from observing the needs of passengers.
He began by offering passengers the use of phone chargers , and then started dispensing bottled water for those waiting under the hot sun. For longer rides, he thought of snacks - and eventually, the idea expanded into a full set-up.
He spends around $60 a week to stock his car, mainly with dried fruit, candy and small snacks - all bought from major candy shops in Singapore. The items, he says, are not cheap, noting that 'one lollipop is $2'.
Mr Pang said he usually restocks snacks and bottled water in his car twice a day. The snacks are suitable for both children and older passengers, and he changes the offerings periodically.
Water is the most popular item - he gives out about 10 bottles a day. To maintain a clean car, he sticks to dry, bite-sized snacks that will not flake or spill and vacuums the car every evening.
'I don't restrict passengers from taking too many, as long as they are hungry,' he said.
For Mr Pang, it's not about tips, ratings, or fame.
'I never link customer service with money,' he said. 'If I can do a good deed a day, it will brighten people's day.'
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